Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADN/ASN to MSN | $54,000 | 2.7 years (8 semesters) | 54 |
| BSN to MSN | $48,000 | 2 years (6 semesters) | 48 |
| Post-Graduate Certificate | $37,000 | 1.7 years | 37 |
| Post-Master’s DNP | $47,000 | 2–3 years | 47 |
All four tracks bill at Samford’s flat $1,000/credit graduate nursing rate; the totals above are credits × that rate, before any program or course fees.
Samford is Alabama’s only PMHNP program with a direct ADN/ASN-to-MSN bridge, letting associate-degree nurses skip a separate BSN step. Coursework is mostly asynchronous online with just one or two required campus intensives, and clinical rotations are arranged in each student’s own community nationwide.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | ADN/ASN-MSN, BSN-MSN, Post-Graduate Certificate, Post-Master’s DNP |
| Format | Mostly Online — asynchronous coursework with one to two required on-campus or telehealth intensives |
| Clinical Hours | 750 minimum, all tracks |
| Clinical Placement | Arranged in the student’s own community, anywhere in the U.S. |
| Population | Across the lifespan |
| RN License Requirements | Unencumbered RN license |
| Admissions | 3.0 GPA (MSN tracks); 3.5 GPA (Certificate and DNP) |
| Tuition | $1,000/credit, all tracks |
| Accreditation | CCNE (nursing, 10-year maximum term); SACSCOC (institutional) |
ADN/ASN to MSN, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the ADN/ASN to MSN PMHNP at Samford is approximately $54,000 (54 credits at $1,000/credit). The program takes 2.7 years (8 semesters) to complete on a full-time basis.
ADN/ASN-MSN Curriculum
This is the state’s only bridge from an associate degree directly into a PMHNP-focused MSN. The plan of study adds foundational BSN-equivalent coursework ahead of the same specialty sequence used in the BSN-to-MSN track, then progresses through three sequential psychiatric mental health courses paired with clinical rotations.
- NURG 731 – Concepts of Advanced Nursing Practice
- NURG 533 – Advanced Physiology & Pathophysiology
- NURG 610 – Advanced Health Assessment
- NURG 633 – Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Nursing Practice
- NURG 771–774 – Psychiatric Mental Health I–III
- NURG 766 – Advanced Psychiatric Mental Health Assessment & Diagnostics
- NURG 767 – Psychotherapeutics Frameworks and Modalities
- NURG 769 – Psychopharmacology for APRN
- NURG 788–790 – Advanced Practice Clinical I–II and PMHNP Practicum
You Should Know
Prerequisites are substantial: the ADN/ASN pathway requires English Composition I, college algebra or higher math, and undergraduate anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and developmental psychology before starting the nursing curriculum itself.
ADN/ASN-MSN Clinical Requirements
- 750 clinical hours minimum, roughly 10–20 hours per week depending on rotation
- Placements arranged in the student’s own community, anywhere in the U.S.
750 hours matches the direct patient care floor in the 2022 NTF Standards exactly. This is the school’s currently published total; the individual course list (120, 60, 180, and 300 hours across four practicum courses) sums to 660, roughly 90 hours short, most likely reflecting an updated total not yet fully broken out course-by-course on Samford’s published curriculum pages.
ADN/ASN-MSN Admissions
- Associate degree from a CCNE, CNEA, or ACEN-accredited program
- Minimum 3.0 GPA in nursing courses
- English Composition I; college algebra or higher math; anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and developmental psychology
- Health assessment course, B grade or better
- Three letters of recommendation (two professional, one academic), personal statement, resume, video response
- Applications open September 1, deadline June 1, entry in August
BSN to MSN, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the BSN to MSN PMHNP at Samford is approximately $48,000 (48 credits at $1,000/credit). The program takes 2 years (6 semesters) to complete on a full-time basis.
BSN-MSN Curriculum
This accelerated track carries the same 750-hour clinical requirement as the ADN/ASN pathway while skipping the bridge coursework, emphasizing advanced pathophysiology, comprehensive health assessment, psychotherapeutics frameworks, and psychopharmacology.
- NURG 533 – Advanced Physiology & Pathophysiology
- NURG 610 – Advanced Health Assessment
- NURG 633 – Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Nursing Practice
- NURG 771–774 – Psychiatric Mental Health I–III
- NURG 766 – Advanced Psychiatric Mental Health Assessment & Diagnostics
- NURG 767 – Psychotherapeutics Frameworks and Modalities
- NURG 769 – Psychopharmacology for APRN
- NURG 788–790 – Advanced Practice Clinical I–II and PMHNP Practicum
- NURG 732 – Evidence Based Practice
More curriculum details are available here.
BSN-MSN Clinical Requirements
750 clinical hours minimum, the same requirement and placement model as the ADN/ASN track above.
BSN-MSN Admissions
- BSN from a CCNE, CNEA, or ACEN-accredited program
- Minimum 3.0 GPA in nursing courses; health assessment course with B grade or better
- Same supporting materials as the ADN/ASN track (recommendations, personal statement, resume, video response)
- Applications open September 1, deadline March 1, entry in May
Post-Graduate Certificate, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the PMHNP Post-Graduate Certificate at Samford is approximately $37,000 (37 credits at $1,000/credit). The program takes about 1.7 years to complete.
Certificate Curriculum
A gap analysis sets the individualized plan of study based on a student’s prior graduate coursework, potentially adding core courses such as Concepts of Advanced Nursing Practice or Evidence-Based Practice for nurses whose master’s didn’t already cover them. The specialty content matches the MSN tracks.
You Should Know
Higher GPA bar: the certificate requires a 3.5 cumulative GPA, half a point above the 3.0 required for the MSN tracks.
Certificate Clinical Requirements
750 clinical hours minimum, the same standard applied to the MSN tracks, adjusted by gap analysis for coursework already completed.
Certificate Admissions
- Master’s degree in nursing from a CCNE, CNEA, or ACEN-accredited program
- Minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA
- Unencumbered RN license; health assessment course, B grade or better
- Three letters of recommendation, personal statement, resume, video response
Post-Master’s DNP, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
The estimated tuition for the Post-Master’s DNP PMHNP at Samford is approximately $47,000 (47 credits at $1,000/credit). The program takes 2–3 years to complete depending on full- or part-time enrollment.
DNP Curriculum
The 47 credits combine 26 credits of PMHNP specialization with 21 credits of DNP core coursework in systems-based practice, population health, and a two-part DNP project.
- NURG 733 – Systems-Based Practice
- NURG 734 – Essentials of Population Health
- NURG 760–761 – DNP Project I–II
- The full PMHNP specialty sequence used in the BSN-to-MSN track above
More curriculum details are available here.
DNP Clinical Requirements
750 clinical hours minimum, the same specialty clinical standard as the MSN tracks, completed alongside the doctoral coursework and project.
DNP Admissions
- Master’s degree in nursing from a CCNE, CNEA, or ACEN-accredited program
- Minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA in graduate nursing courses
- Unencumbered RN license; English proficiency documentation for international applicants (TOEFL iBT 90+, IELTS 6.5+, or Duolingo 120+)
- Three letters of recommendation, personal statement, resume, video response
Tuition
Cost per credit at Samford is $1,000 for graduate nursing, applied uniformly across all four PMHNP tracks. All totals below are estimates built from that published rate.
- ADN/ASN to MSN: $54,000 (54 credits)
- BSN to MSN: $48,000 (48 credits)
- Post-Graduate Certificate: $37,000 (37 credits, gap-analysis dependent)
- Post-Master’s DNP: $47,000 (47 credits)
Be aware that:
- University-level, program, and course fees apply on top of the $1,000/credit rate. Samford does not publish specific fee amounts; budget for them separately from the totals above.
- The certificate’s real cost depends on the gap analysis. A student whose prior master’s already covered core courses like Evidence-Based Practice pays for fewer than 37 credits.
See the official tuition page for current rates.
Why Choose This PMHNP Program?
Best suited for associate-degree or working RNs who need a program built around a full-time job, not the other way around.
The only ADN/ASN-to-MSN PMHNP bridge in Alabama. Nurses with an associate degree can move directly into a PMHNP-focused MSN without a separate BSN detour, at the cost of a longer timeline (2.7 years versus 2 for the BSN entry).
Minimal campus commitment, clinicals close to home. Coursework is mostly asynchronous with only one or two required intensives, and clinical rotations are arranged in each student’s own community rather than requiring relocation.
The trade-offs are real: Samford’s per-credit rate and total program costs run higher than several in-state competitors, fees beyond tuition aren’t itemized publicly, and the certificate’s true cost is unknown until a gap analysis runs. Nurses focused purely on price should compare against the University of Alabama before committing here.
Accreditation
Samford’s Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing programs, including the BSN, MSN, DNP, and Post-Graduate APRN Certificate, are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). In 2025 the school received CCNE’s maximum 10-year accreditation term.
Samford University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Graduates of all four PMHNP pathways are eligible to sit for the national PMHNP certification exam through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
Review More PMHNP Programs in Alabama
- University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa
- University of Mobile - Mobile
- University of North Alabama - Florence
- University of South Alabama - Mobile